The recent attack on eminent writer Professor Muhammed Zafar Iqbal has brought the issue of radicalisation and militancy to the spotlight once again. The Daily Star talks to experts from three fields—Monirul Islam, Chief of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police; Shafqat Munir, a research fellow with the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS); and Dr Mohammad Monzur E Elahi, Assistant Professor of Islamic Studies at National University—for their opinions on the overriding challenges we face, what we have done to combat radicalisation and what we should do in the short- and long-term.

From the outdated legal concepts under which cases of rape are tried in court, the “medical” tests that are required for proving rape, to the institutions which are supposed to stand by the survivor, it is not surprising that many women are scared or traumatised to even report incidents of sexual violence.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced that the government will take steps to recognise the Dawrah-e-Hadith of Qwami madrasah education as equivalent to a Masters degree. The Daily Star talks to Professor Ali Riaz and Professor Salimullah Khan about the controversy surrounding the issue.

In the wee hours of January 3, a devastating fire engulfed the DCC market in Gulshan-1. It took firefighters 16 hours to douse the flames which led to the partial collapse of the market. It has been nearly a month since the fire that destroyed almost half of the 600 shops
of the once thriving marketplace. The Daily Star looks into the uncertainty revolving the future of the market and
those whose livelihoods depend on it.

Over the recent backlash of the erroneous content and apparently mysterious changes to the curriculum, the education minister on January 10 stated during a press briefing, “I'm not avoiding my responsibility, but I'm leaving the matter to you whether handing over such a volume of textbooks is a bigger thing than these errors,” to which, the answer is an obvious yes.

"What I want to say is that the way the government is behaving with indigenous people now is violating their human rights.What is the solution? The government must provide them with protection. They must prosecute and punish those who are committing such crimes."

The vicious attacks on Hindu homes, establishments and temples since October 30 indicates an increase in the level of bigotry among certain sections of the society. The question is how did these miscreants get the courage to carry out these crimes? The Daily Star talks to some individuals who have been directly affected or are speaking out against these hate crimes.

The draft Digital Security Act 2016, intended to address the need for cyber-crime legislation, according to the authorities, was approved on August 22, 2016, by the Cabinet. But members of civil society, media and activists have already expressed their concerns over the draft law impinging upon people's freedom of expression.